If you need to stretch your legs on your drive on I-70 near Denver, pull off on the Genesee Mountain exit and go for a hike! I love that this trail is super close to the interstate exit for easy access, especially in the winter when the small roads to trailheads can be tough to get to!
I will say that being close does have one drawback; you will hear interstate traffic on a small portion of this hike. I wore airpods and listened to a book so I didn’t hear the traffic. Ultimately, I think the positives outweigh this small negative. Do this hike!
The outer loop is 3.5 miles and I recommend adding 1.5 miles and hiking to the summit of Genesee Mountain! This gives you a lovely 5 mile hike in total. Awesome!
I hiked this trail on a bluebird winter morning after 6-8 inches of snow the night before. I parked the small Bison Trailhead (room for 4-6 vehicles) about 0.5 miles up Genesee Mountain Road and set out in the snow! Because of the new snow, it was difficult to find the trail at times but I used my AllTrails map to keep me on track! It was a great morning to be out in nature!
Good to Know
Distance: 5 mile loop
Elevation Gain: ~660 ft
Terrain: Snow-packed trail during the winter
Parking: Available at Bison, Genesee Mountain Parking Lot trailheads
Facilities: Available at Genesee Park Mountain shelter
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